Parliamentary Hopefuls to Go Head to Head at BGU

 01/04/2015

An election debate for students at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is expected to draw a large crowd next month.

Lincoln’s parliamentary candidates will go head to head in a hustings event at The Venue on Monday 13th April 2015 at 6.30pm. It will be the first opportunity electors will get to put questions to the six candidates standing in Lincoln at the General Election in May.

Conservative candidate Karl McCartney, Labour candidate Lucy Rigby, Liberal Democrat candidate Ross Pepper, Elaine Smith for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition and Helen Powell from Lincolnshire Independents will all be speaking in the debate. Tony Wells will stand in for UKIP’s parliamentary candidate Nick Smith.

Chairing the hustings will be Roger Mosey, Chair of BGU’s council, a former Editorial Director  of the BBC and now Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge. The event is open only to students but it will be live streamed on YouTube so the general public in Lincoln can hear what the candidates have to say.

“We’re very pleased to have secured all the major parties for this debate, which is a fantastic opportunity for students in Lincoln to put questions to the people who want to represent them after the election,” said Chris Robertson, President of BGU’s Student Union. “There are many issues that affect young people, from tuition fees and benefits to the economy and the NHS, and I expect a very lively and animated debate.

“I hope we can inspire an interest in the political process and encourage more students and young people to use their vote on 7th May.”